A wearable headband can provide early detection
- Alzheimer’s disease affects thinking and brain function. It can lead to a significant decrease in independence and quality of life.
- Researchers are still searching for the best ways to detect Alzheimer’s disease.
- A recent study found that measuring specific brain wave patterns and their relationship during sleep may help in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, even before symptoms appear.
Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that still has many components that we don’t understand. Research on how to detect Alzheimer’s disease early is ongoing.
A recent study looked at how certain brain wave patterns relate to other indicators of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have found that a simple, wearable device that measures the brain’s electrical activity effectively detected distinct patterns that may indicate Alzheimer’s disease.
The study was published in the journal
In the new study, the researchers wanted to examine a method that might help in early detection of Alzheimer’s disease when there are no symptoms at all.
This was a cross-sectional study and included 205 elderly adults. The researchers used data from single-channel sleep Electroencephalogram (EEG) To look at the electrical signals in the brain. Participants had to wear the devices on their foreheads while sleeping for at least three nights.
Study author Dr. Brice McConnellPh. D., assistant professor of neuroscience and director of the Sleep Research Program at the University of Colorado Center for Alzheimer’s and Cognition, provided some additional explanations about the method they used:
“Our method focuses on detecting patterns of brainwaves that occur during memory processing functions in deep sleep and using these brainwaves to understand if there are problems with memory components of the brain.”
The researchers then looked at how the data from the EEG readings fit with other indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, including the presence of amyloid and cognitive impairment. They were able to identify distinct brain wave pattern features that are associated with other indicators of Alzheimer’s disease.
“There are changes in the memory components of the brain that occur many years before neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s disease appear, and our research has been able to detect these very early changes in brain waves during sleep. We have also been able to detect brain wave changes that occur when someone experiences phases of Very early mild cognitive impairment, which often occurs before dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.
– Dr. Bryce McConnell, PhD, study author
Non-scholarly author Kelland Cooper Ph.Da neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, also commented on his thoughts on the study:
“Although the effect is relatively subtle, researchers have found that the timing and frequency of theta bursts in relation to sleep spindles does indeed correlate with cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Cooper. MNT.
This suggests that cognitive dysfunction may be underscored by deficits in how neural circuits communicate with each other, and highlights the importance of studying neural dynamics during illness. However, before any clinical translations can be made, the study must be further replicated, and investigated. the proposed mechanisms in more depth.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disorder affecting the brain. It gets progressively worse and often affects the elderly.
People with Alzheimer’s disease can experience a decline in memory, judgment, and ability to communicate. This can lead to decreased independence and an increased risk of deterioration in health.
It eventually caused
Damage can occur in important areas of the brain, including the parts of the brain that affect memory and people’s ability to think and interact with others normally.
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease It can help plan care and increase the effectiveness of medications and other treatment options.
person
The study has certain limitations. Participants were part of a specific longitudinal cohort, which makes it difficult to generalize the results.
The small number of differences between the participants may also have affected the results of the study. The study did not prove a causal relationship between the factors. Some authors have reported potential conflicts of interest.
There were limitations in data collection, as the researchers only looked at home sleep apnea data for one night only.
While the EEG device used allows for simplicity, there may be limitations in using this method, including the risk of not capturing specific brain activity. Also, the nature of the study did not allow for long-term data collection, which could be covered by future research.
More research is warranted to understand how EEG measurements align with cognitive function and other testing methods.
Dr. McConnell noted the following areas of ongoing research:
“Our research shows that brain wave patterns can be used to monitor brain health and detect very early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, but the method requires more work to increase the reliability of detection,” he said.
“We are also working on using this method to predict which people will develop cognitive symptoms and their timelines for the development of neurological problems.”
Overall, the results indicate that it can be used at home to monitor brain changes in the future.
The goal of this research is to bring brain health monitoring technologies into devices that are accessible to the general public, much like the way smartwatches and fitness trackers currently monitor heart health and other medical conditions. However, it may be several years before they become available. Widely available There is still a fair amount of work left to improve the technology and design user-friendly devices that incorporate this capability.
– Dr. Bryce McConnell, PhD, study author
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